February 9, 2026 | 04:06 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israel President Isaac Herzog started a visit to Australia, with the Bondi Beach attack playing a vital role in the trip.
Herzog held meetings with victims' families and survivors of the antisemitic attack on a Jewish holiday—Australia's worst shooting incident in 40 years—in which 15 people were killed.
The Israeli president laid the wreath and two stones he had brought from Jerusalem at a pavilion near the attack's site, which became a makeshift memorial site after the shooting.
Upon his visit to the memorial, Herzog said the stones would remain at the site in victims' memory as a reminder that people of all faiths and nations "will continue to hold strong in the face of terror, violence, and hatred, and that we shall overcome this evil together."
Speaking to reporters, the Israeli president said he had been "shaken to the core" hearing about the attack. "Our heart missed a beat, like all Israelis and all Jews. And I'm here to express solidarity, friendship, and love," he said.
Herzog also said his visit provides an opportunity to improve bilateral relations between Israel and Australia.
"We are two democracies that share values together and we are confronting the roots of evil from all over the world," Herzog said. "And we should do it together."
Security measures in Sydney
Tight security accompanied Herzog's visit, with police snipers being visible on rooftops near Bondi Beach.
Apart from his visit to Sydney, Herzog will also visit Melbourne and capital Canberra before heading back to Israel on Thursday.
The president plays a largely ceremonial role in Israel, with the invitation being initiated by Jewish mainstream groups in the country.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Australia's equivalent position to the Israeli president role, then followed suit and extended the invitation, after a request by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Albanese has been at odds with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu over the Australian recognition of a Palestinian state six months ago.
Protests against Gaza war expected
His visit will also be accompanied by protests over Israel's war in Gaza and its treatment of the enclave's civilian population.
Australia has seen similar protests throughout the two-year genocidal war that escalated after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack.
In response to the Bundi Beach shooting being declared a terrorist attack, the parliament in the Australian state of New South Wales passed a legislation that increases police powers to arrest protesters.
Protests can be restricted for two weeks at a time for up to 90 days, with police continuing the restrictions in a bid to contain potential civil disorder during Herzog's visit in Sydney.
The Palestine Action Group called for people to join a protest, with demonstrators potentially facing arrest due to the restrictions.
Read: Australia's NSW Poised for Gun Law Reform After Bondi Attack
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